Latest Articles

The hallmark of a well-designed outdoor public space is its useability across different demographics and activities. Through creating accessible public spaces, we are able to foster an inclusive outdoor space and city culture. For older individuals or people with disabilities “public spaces play a central role in the creation of inclusive communities.” Choosing the right…

How to Choose Kids Outdoor Furniture that is Durable, Safe and Stylish for your Preschool Choosing the right kids outdoor furniture for your preschool can be challenging with a wide range of options available. With different materials, sizes, colours, appearances and brands to choose from, it can be difficult to select the best quality outdoor…

5 Awesome School Playground Ideas Introduction For many children, the school playground is a source of great enjoyment a place to socialise, exercise and learn. It also plays a crucial role in children’s development, helping children develop key skills like strength, balance, coordination, decision-making, conflict resolution, communication and improve self-confidence. In order to provide children,…

5 Outdoor Classroom Ideas for Schools, Colleges and Universities Outdoor learning is an educational approach that in recent years has quickly gained traction across schools, colleges and universities in Australia. An important educational tool, outdoor learning can be used across a variety of different subject areas. Outdoor learning environment ideas include science experiments, group exercise…

Step-by-Step Guide On How To Open a Café in Australia The coffee culture in Australia has made the business a very lucrative one. 75% of Australians drink at least one cup of coffee daily, with 70.8% having it as part of their daily routine and the coffee segment generating over $7.7 billion as of 2021…

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Ideal Material for Your Outdoor Furniture Choosing the right furniture material for your outdoor space can either increase or decrease the useability of outdoor public spaces. There are a range of factors to consider when choosing the right material for you, these include climatic conditions, durability, eco-friendliness, temperature and…

The importance of community gardens A place to meet and connect, community gardens are becoming increasingly common in residential areas, and with a range of environment, health, and social benefits it’s no surprise why.  There is no formal definition of what constitutes a community garden; however, it is often regarded that a community garden is…

Getting Outdoor Spaces Ready for Spring With warmer weather approaching the overwhelming sentiment for people is to get outdoors. With public spaces still in hibernation, now is the perfect time for a spring spruce. Here are our top 6 tips to get your outdoor space ready for spring: Plant New Trees For many people living…

Winter tips and checks for outdoor furniture Winter is here, and with it a whole range of factors that may jeopardise the longevity of your outdoor furniture. For lower levels of maintenance choosing premium quality, durable, Australian made outdoor furniture that is weather resistant will reduce the level of upkeep required. With the seasonal change…

EOFY spend your budget wisely with cost-effective quality Australian made outdoor furniture June 30th marks the end of financial year, with operations wrapping up, it is time for an evaluation of budget allocations. EOFY budgets are reviewed and outlined for the following year with decisions being made based on current and future expenditures. With the…

Benefits of socialising and exercise for older adults Did you know that 9% of the global population are aged over 65? With an ageing population, an added level of care needs to be taken to accommodate our older adults. For many, especially in aged care facilities, the effects of lockdown have been felt at an…

Ways to stop littering What are the best ways to stop littering is a frequent discussion topic and action in schools, communities and other organisations. Safe guarding our environment for future generations is vital and reducing littering and increasing recycling have a significant role to play. The past 10 years have seen an increase in…

Connecting People in Public Spaces The concept of placemaking has recently gained traction, which involves strengthening the connection between individuals and the place they share. Interaction between people and the environment can be enhanced to generate a positive use of the space, through means such as wide and accessible streets, squares, bike paths and street…

All About our Hardwoods Our timber and street furniture range is manufactured from sustainably sourced Australian hardwoods. Hardwoods are generated from angiosperms (trees that produce enclosed seeds), usually broad leaved and flowering. Hardwoods are generally more durable, with any treatments used extending the durability of the wood. As a material hardwoods are reasonably dense which…

Importance of Crowd Support in Sports Events From amateur to professional levels, having spectator support at sports games and events impacts both performance and enjoyment. With crowds returning back to venues and matches, it’s pertinent to look at the effect that ongoing support can have on players. From helping to score the penalty shot, make…

Get recycling ready for National Recycling Week National Recycling Week runs from the 8th to 14th of November every year. This year it is celebrating its 25th anniversary a timely reminder of the importance of recycling and reducing waste. The average person in Australia generates 540kg of household waste per year, showing we all need…

Urban spaces – what are they and how to create an urban space? Urban spaces are areas within a city that are outside and situated in between buildings. Whether it’s a street, plaza or park, urban spaces provide people with a place to communicate, travel and socially interact.  Cities and their urban structures are constantly…

Why outdoor play is so important for kids Over the past 20 years, the world has become a digital playground and a whole generation is growing up with not just video games but smartphones, tablets and so many other devices. Did you know that kids spend an average of 7 hours in front of devices?…

Outdoor picnic tables – all you need to know Outdoor picnics in the backyard, local park or beach or camping ground are at the heart of every Aussie’s weekend or holiday gathering. The best modern outdoor picnic tables are durable, safe, low maintenance and able to withstand exposure to Australia’s tough weather conditions. Let’s take…

5 factors to consider when choosing street furniture Street furniture litters our landscapes providing character, aesthetics and convenience to place. What factors come into play when deciding the optimal street furniture? What is street furniture?Street furniture constitutes an array of outdoor furniture which give function, order, colour and personality to urban landscapes across villages, towns…

What makes a great school bag rack? With the influx of students for a new school year it is often apparent that certain areas of the school would benefit from more organisational space. This could be items such as hooks, shelves and bag racks. If you are thinking about investing in bag racks, consider what…

Top tips for improving waste disposal and recycling in Australia Among Australians one thing we can all agree on is the need for a clean environment, whether that be at work, school or national parks. One clear and easy way to do this is to have three designated waste disposal units due to the majority…

Bike racks and Bike stands: What makes a good bike rack or stand? Bike racks play a vital role in encouraging bike riding to school or to venues such as the train station or work place. Bike riders face the same issues as car drivers, if there is poor or insufficient parking for their vehicle…

Benefits of Bus Shelters Whether travelling to school, the office, a hospital, railway station, the town centre, sportsground or shopping mall, adding a bus shelter to provide protection and a place to wait offers many benefits. What are some important fundamentals to consider to maximise the benefits of adding a bus shelter? When should you…

Benefits of Aluminium Outdoor Settings Aluminium can be considered an ideal material when evaluating its suitability for outdoor settings. Let’s look at the reasons behind the increasing popularity of aluminium outdoor settings: Light Weight and Sturdy: Aluminium furniture is lightweight and can be easily moved around. Yet it is solid and can withstand breezy and…

What are the advantages of Tiered Seating? Tiered seating is incredibly popular at outdoor and indoor venues alike due to its excellent use of space, versatility, comfort and practicality. It has been around for thousands of  years with tiered seating dating back to the Greek amphitheatres which offered sloped seating for its vast audiences. We…

Tips to create wheelchair friendly accessible sporting venues Venue accessibility is essential for enabling attendance to events by people with disabilities. How do you ensure your venue is an accessible one? Here are a few tips to assist in making sporting venues wheelchair friendly, as a step towards creating inclusive and accessible venues. • Gain…

Portable Staging the perfect all-rounder When choosing stages for your upcoming event, it is important to consider the many factors that go into making the final decision from price, location, and versatility. Deciding between portable and more permanent stage structures is important as it can affect the audience’s experience of your event. What are the…

What are the benefits of ecofriendly outdoor furniture? When choosing outdoor furniture for your organisation, there are many factors that go into the decision-making process from style and size, to material and price. Another element becoming increasingly popular as a selection determinant is whether the outdoor furniture is classified as ecofriendly. Discover what being ecofriendly…

4 factors to consider when upgrading or creating new Change Room Facilities Whether the season is approaching or has just started, an area of sportsgrounds that receive a great deal of usage are changing room facilities. Having quality well-thought out changing rooms can greatly enhance the overall experience at the sports facility for participants, visitors,…

Creating an inclusive outdoor space that complies with the Disability Discrimination Act Accessibility has become increasingly important with the introduction of legislation to regulate and safeguard the inclusion and ability of those with a disability to access public services without experiencing any type of discrimination. With the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) of 1992, along with…

Creative ways of using Bench Seating Bench seating is one of our most popular products. One of the reason for this popularity is because they are extremely versatile pieces of outdoor furniture. Below we consider what makes the bench so versatile and explore how you can use this super handy piece of outdoor furniture creatively…

Get on your bike and stay active! Bicycle riding is a fantastic way to keep fit and with social distancing measures now in place, it provides a fabulous way to stay active whilst adhering to the current regulations. Regular physical activity is essential for good physical and mental health and riding your bike often is…

All about aluminium! How hygienic is it? How easy is it to clean? Is it low maintenance? What is it used for? Aluminium is at the heart of what we do at Felton. It is the principal material for our commercial outdoor furniture. How much is known about aluminium and its properties ? This article…

Creating Sustainable Green Communities What are Green Communities? Communities that place environmental well-being as a priority and whose residents look to protect their environment from overuse and pollution whilst reducing their individual and communal carbon footprint can be considered green communities. Such sustainable communities aim to lower the impact on the environment without lowering the…

Wheelie Bin Surrounds: An easy way to teach kids about recycling Keeping school grounds litter free is a continual challenge for the school community. One way to help support a clean and tidy outdoor space and keep litter at bay is to provide adequate bins and recycling facilities and incentive programs for kids to get…

Advantages of Aluminium and Aluminium outdoor furniture What makes Aluminium our favourite material for outdoor furniture? Aluminium is one of the most abundantly available materials in the world and has several advantages that make it a very popular choice for outdoor furniture. At Felton, using aluminium guarantees we meet one of our principal goals –…

Create the best learning environments at your school What makes design effective to boost success in schools? Effective design is an essential element in the creation of successful schools. The entire school landscape including outdoor learning environments need to be well-designed and cater for the requirements of the whole school community. A recent study made…

Organising events that bring the neighbourhood together Coming up with an original event that brings people in the community together can be difficult. Especially in neighbourhoods with diverse demographics, where finding the balance between young and old is a challenge and organising the right activity can be a tough pickle. Nevertheless, a good old neighbourhood…

Transforming parks and outdoor spaces to build communities How do you transform parks and outdoor spaces to build communities? Parks and public spaces are often thought of as the centre of a neighbourhood and its community where people can relax as well as spend time together and be active. With the rise of the ‘indoor’…

Create an outdoor space that meets the recommended design standards at your school Did you know that different states provide different design standards for outdoor furniture at schools? Depending on which state your school is located, design standards for outdoor furniture can include detailed recommendations of parameters for outdoor furniture at your primary or high…

Upgrade the outdoor area at your school with the Local Schools Community Fund Did you know that if you are a school looking to upgrade your facilities you can apply for funding of your project at the Local Schools Community Fund? The fund is open to government, independent and catholic schools nationwide and each electorate…

What are the present and future design trends for commercial outdoor furniture and outdoor space? As with fashion, furniture styles and designs change over time and mimic the overall trend of the era. What are the present and future design trends for commercial outdoor furniture and outdoor areas? There are 3 main themes that are…

Does colour affect performance? Does colour influence and affect performance? Can we use colour to influence and improve performance? The impacts of colour on performance has been an area of interest across a number of professions for many years including elite athletes, scientists, advertisers, marketers and designers. More recently however colour and performance has become…

The importance of spectator seating on your sports ground Whether you are looking to upgrade or build a brand new sports ground at your school, park or community, an essential part of your planning involves where you would like to incorporate seating at your ground and the type of seating that would suit best. Getting…

Top tips to apply for a grant Would you like to be able to upgrade your outdoor facilities at your school, sports club, park or organisation but don’t have all the resourcing you need? Applying for a grant can be a good way to meet a shortfall in resourcing or it can allow you to…

Give outdoor learning a regular spot in your school week Now is a perfect time to consider what new activities and ways of learning you can add to your classes over the school year to promote enthusiasm for school, encourage learning and help make school a happy, productive environment for kids. Government research indicates that…

Why are playgrounds important and what makes a great playground? Whether in schools, local parks, community centres or resorts, outdoor playgrounds provide an exciting hive of opportunity where kids get the chance to play. Recollecting back to our own childhood, these opportunities to play often make up some of our fondest earliest memories and accounted…

How Your School Can Help Promote Active Lifestyles In Children? With inactivity and childhood obesity an ongoing concern in our communities, schools have an increasingly important role in encouraging children to be active. This can be a challenge with students often being required to sit down in class for much of the day. Nevertheless there…

How To Use Outdoor Spaces To Build Vibrant Communities How can outdoor space be used to build vibrant communities? Studies show that an investment into a park, or similar outdoor community space, can be the first step in the rejuvenation of an entire community. A community with shared values and interests and where people are…

How to make your School Photo day memorable School photo days are a vital way for parents and the school to record class memories over the years. That end of year yearbook becomes tangible proof of the good that the school is doing in the community and parents love the photos as a way of…

Why we should all care about public transport Public transport is one of those things that we should all be far more engaged with. In a very real sense, it is a lifeblood of both our economies and our social communities. Research from the Victorian Government, for example, has found that public transport provides benefits…

What will outdoor playgrounds of the future be like? Playgrounds have been an essential part of childhood for generations – a place of fun, laughter and fresh air, where young friendships bloom. They’re also critical to children’s cognitive, physical and social development. In the era of video games and social media, children don’t get outside…

Building a pocket park Why should communities in our big cities be deprived of the joys of a space to energise, connect with nature and unwind? A Western Australian study has found that communities with more parks have a stronger sense of community, comfort and safety, highlighting just how important parks are. Pocket parks are…

Colour in School Playgrounds The impact of colour in school playgrounds is often overlooked when designing educational spaces. However, colour plays a huge role in the way people think, feel and act. Here are some different ways you can use colour in school playgrounds to boost your students’ learning, happiness and safety. Create emotional balance…

Designing safer public streets Public streets play a huge role in determining public safety. Policy makers from across the globe have seen better urban street design lead to a decrease in road accidents and casualties, creating happier, healthier cities. Here are three key elements for designing safer public streets that all public administrators should consider.…

Four ways to grow your sports club  Have a team for everybody If there’s one thing Australians love, it’s sport. Apart from the obvious benefits to players (like keeping people fit and healthy, learning about teamwork and trying your best), one of the biggest benefits of sports clubs is how they bring the community together.…

Why choose Australian made outdoor furniture? While it can be tempting to source outdoor furniture cheaply from overseas, communities should always invest in outdoor furniture when designing outdoor spaces. Here are three reasons why.  They are designed to meet Australian needs Australian made outdoor furniture is made for you. Our country receives some of the…

How to make getting to school safer All parents and teachers want their kids to be safe and happy at school. Making sure children travel safely to and from school is an important first step in creating a positive learning environment for children. Here are four ways to make travelling to school safer for children.…

How to get the most value for your organisation by spending your budget before the end of financial year At the end of each financial year, many schools and local council administrators are left with the responsibility of spending remaining budget. Choosing what to invest this money in is often a difficult task, with a…

Encouraging the community to go to parks in winter If the combination of shorter days and chilly weather make it hard to get out of bed, never mind outdoors, you’re not alone. Many parks in Australia are geared towards keeping people cool in the scorching summer months. But what about the winter? With temperatures plunging…

How to create an active sports hub for the entire community Whether it’s on the field or on the track, for competition or for a bit of fun, sport is an essential part of Australian culture and identity. Sport brings communities together, unites people of different backgrounds and teaches children valuable lessons about teamwork and…

Three ways you can reduce litter in the schoolyard Schools need to be litter-free environments for students to learn and grow. Cleaner playgrounds create clearer minds, enhancing children’s happiness and connection with nature. Even more importantly, when children are taught from an early age not to litter, they become more respectful of the environment and…

Why bike-friendly communities are better communities With more cars on our roads, increased pollution and the soaring cost of living, keeping our cities lively and livable as Australia’s population grows is a challenge. Research shows that urban communities with good bike facilities have stronger economies, healthier, happier people and better qua­lity of life. Plus, Australian…

Felton appointed to the NSW Local Government Procurement Panel (LGP) Felton Industries is pleased to announce that we have recently been appointed as an approved supplier for Local Government Procurement (LGP). The LGP is a resource that allows local councils to access the best products from a panel of suppliers, without the need to conduct…

Outdoor spaces – an untapped resource for Australian universities Australian campuses are expanding, with more students at our universities in 2018 than ever before. This growth poses a challenge for many institutions, with current infrastructure being pushed to accommodate more students. While this growth is likely to involve further planning and development in the future,…

Inclusive school environments We learn far more at school than just our ABC’s and 123’s. The social interactions we have with our peers in our formative schooling years influence how we communicate, interact and feel about others and ourselves, well into adulthood. This is why schools need to be as supportive and inclusive socially as…

Creating Greener Parks For Sustainable Communities When local governments invest more resources into environmental sustainability, the rest of the community tends to follow suit. Parks are a free and open space for us to relax, play, exercise and connect, both with our community and also with nature. This makes them a great starting point for…

Thinking outside the classroom According to government research, children who spend more time outside learn better and have stronger physical and mental health. They’re also more likely to be environmentally aware, with an enhanced sense of creativity, better teamwork and problem-solving skills. Most of Australia is blessed with a warm climate, minimal rainfall and low…

A shaded community is a safer community From cricket in the park to barbeques in the yard, the outdoors is a big part of our national identity. Yet sadly, with a hole in the ozone layer directly above us, Australia receives some of the most dangerous sunrays on the planet. The ozone is supposed to…